The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-03-07
.dIn Q'telIEgetlcen
WHEELING, ". VA, MARCH I. 1887.
Tho Work Of Congross.

"a large, number oil measures, Gays the
Philadelphia Pres, which have been pend.
ing for years, some OF them Of tho utmost
consequences, have become entitled by the
action Of Congress just expired to a place
upon the federal statute book.
Among these are tho twin measures, the
Presidential Succession bill, which passed
at tho first session, and the Electoral
Count bill, which passed at tho second
session. The Interstate Commerce bill
Is q meaaure Of far.yeaching importance,
which, after being tie football Of half O
dozen succeraive Congresses, wac fret se-
riously treated and finally adopted by the
Forty.ninth. The bill authorizing the
CONSTRUCTION OF 3 building for the long
sincs oye:grown and badly provided Ma.
tional Library is a congregational Chest
NUT for the final disposition Of which
this Congress deserves credit, Among
the other measures which have been long
before several succeaslye Congresses and
were made laws by the F%orty-ninth are
the Trsdc.dollsr Redemption bill, the bill
granting land in reyeraity 10 Indians, the
Fitz John Porter bill, the Mexican PEN
sions bill and the bill repealing the Tenure
OF Office law.
"Among tho measures which failed
whose failure ia regrsttablo ara tho con.
stitutional amendment making April 80
Inauguration day the bill convenins each
Congress within two months Of it's cleo
ton, instead Of thirteen months as at pres
'sn!; repeating the presumption, timber
culture aud desert land lava; admitting
South Dakota and Washington Territories
ns States; refunding TO tho States the d.
rect war taxes, which passed the Senate,
bnt was neglected in the House; the Blair
Educational bill, the Bankrupt bill and
all the measures intended to prevent or Ut
least check the contraction Of the national
bank currency. The River aud Harhcr
bill, which the President refused 10 sign,
contained tho usual mixture OF good and
bad legislation. Such d Wholesale slaugh-
ter Of q comprehensive measure like this
is unfortunate. II will delay many neces-
sary improvements, while, in MI proba-
bility, its defeat will not be any eubstan-
tial saving TO tho country III the cnd. The
failure Of the Deficiency Appropriation
bill will cauae some temporary embarraEs-
ment, and that OF tho Forti6cations bill is
q crying shame. The proposed executive
Department OF Agriculture and Labor
perished in the general wreck. Peace to
its ashes.
In dealing with new questions the Forty
ninth Congress, especially tho House,
showed itself to be exceedingly inefficient.
The Fishery Retaliation resolutions almost
failed to get through on account OF the
bellicoss amendments put on it by q
House which has refused to make any ado.
quate provision for tho national defense.
While the tariff escaped the assaults Of the
Free-traders, tho internal taxes we're
treated with equal consideration, and no
provision made beyond somewhat reckless
appropriations for getting rid OF tho sur
plus revenue. While some provision was
made Tor increasing the navy and for the
purchase Of 100000 tons Of tho best
forged steel for guns for the navy, no pro.
vision OF. any sort is made for coas. or in.
land Notification.
From the beginning OF the Congress the
Senate has been away ahead Of the House
in legislation. 1t debated the measures
before It thoroughly and dispatched it's
business easily and promptly. The House
was unable to originate important legisla-
ton, and seldom disposed Of the Senate's
work Without injurins it. The Democratic
party has had one more opportunity, and
improved It, to show. that, whatever its
majority, it can neither administer nor
leSielate. The business OF the House col
in irretrievable confusion, and no
broad party issue or question Of
policy has the Democratic majority
succeeded in carrying out what the great
body Of it's members unquestionably pre-.
fer. Independent Of all question ma to the
wisdom or unwiadom Of this policy, there
is no escaping the conclusion that there is
particular use in giving powor to q
party which can only blunder whom il Is
not p!undcring, except ut thoss not infre.
quent times when it does both.
with Congress out OF the way tho in.
dustries and the labor Of tho country may
breathe freely and feel Eecuro from assault
for a year at least. Some Of the tarihrtink.
ers have retired to the shades Of private
lilo. 1t would have been better for the
country had the number been larger than
it is. Tho burden Of taxation has not
been lishtened. Tho RspublicanH and q
good many acnsible Democrats wero
anxious to repeal the most obnoxious Of
the war taxes, but the Speaker Of the
House Of Representatives assumed the
powers Of q dictator and refused to allow
even a consideration OF this proposition,
and why? Because there was q chance Of
the measure beiRg carried and the Demo.
cratic party would lose it's stock in trade.
The Democratic leaders did not want 10
reduce taxation aud never meant to reduce
taxation and 30 thoy took this unprece-
step, or forced Mr.. Carlisle to take
tho step, in order to save for the party the
cry Of oyer-taxation and OF &C.
cumulatlng revenue"
She Learned to Like tho School.
San Ftanciseo Chronicle.
She goes to school and she belongs to an
educational family OF nromineuce. who